PROBLEMS OF THE FIRST TERM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 14

PROBLEMS OF THE FIRST TERM.

The first term, if one of the most important in the life of a child, is at the same time a period of, anxiety for the parent. A wise mother will have taught her children to regard school in a favour, able light, not as a pjaco of correction, where discipline and punishment arc synouy mo«s. But even when this atmosphere has boon created serious problems still arise. In these days of small families the only child and the pair ” should be carefully prepared for a life whdre they will, have to submit to (he laws of the community. It is difficult for parents to realise to what extent the home has been made to revolve round the children, end it is only kind to prepare them for their school days, when they become members of a community, and must act for the good of that community. Ihe term spirit should be cultivated by the parents before school days begin. School exerts considerable strain upon the young child, and everything should he, done to prevent the strain bccomiiiq- excessive. First make sure that the child is physically tit to undergo the strain of school life, and, having done this, ensure the child sufficient rest and recreation during his school days as an antidote to the work ho must necessarily do. Before a child coos to school he should fulfil certain physical requirements, and those laid down as a minimum by the National Educational and Health Associations of America serve ns a useful guide. A child must have a minimum weight of 441 b, and a minimum height of 46in. The chest must measure 21in with an expansion of 2£in. Further, the child must be free from all physical defects. Medical examinations should not end with the pre-school days. In most stateaided schools they form part of the routine of the school. But in this respect the middle class parent is often the sufferer, for many of the schools favoured by then) have no medical examinations at all. If none is regularly hold, then the parent should make arrangements for a complete overhauling each mid-term, with the recording of weight end height at the be- ( ginning and end of each term. In this ( way physical health is assured, defects are noted in their earliest stages, and cures become possible. Adenoids, despite the fact that they often disappear in later life, leave behind them effects which last for life; deafness, for example. Growing pains which wo woie advised to endure with Spartan courage, ore now the heralds of rheumatism, in itself o foreni"nor of heart disease. Examination will make early detection possible. In these very mechanical days one mio-ht profit by treating the bodic t - of children with the respect paid to cars. Poo first that the engine is riinniiiT perfectly, rather than leave the defects to bo discovered by undue strain. The defects of eyesight generally remain undiscovered until ■ school is started, for the young child is ignorant of the proper use of his eyes. . , , . , , Ai school he is first introduced to rho close work of writing and reading, when defects become apparent. Placed at the back of a classroom, bp may md difficulty in reading the blackboard clearly Knowing nothing about the limitations of his eyesight, he soon assumes, from hi-, mistakes, that he i s inferior to his neien- ( hours He becomes characterised as Humri ( or lazv, and soon comes to regard his inferiority as natural. Otherwise, ’ P ; strives to overcome his difficulties an I. being ignorant of the cause gel. fatigued. |o=e. heart and finally find scope for his ,